


There's nothing left for me but to love you.

by Feistyandpathetic



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Awwwww rhoham, F/M, First Date, I like these two together, Rambling, Sort of sweet?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-27 15:38:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21121169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feistyandpathetic/pseuds/Feistyandpathetic
Summary: Well, I'm a sucker for the whole #rhoham ship so when they arranged a date last Friday...I just had to write this.





	There's nothing left for me but to love you.

Rhona looked in the mirror, giving her make- up a touch- up. There wasn't a great deal in her wardrobe that was nearly as magnificent as someone like Leyla or Priya pulled off on a daily basis, but then again, she hadn't wanted to go overboard at her age. She decided to wear the only thing she owned that was causal yet elegant; a blue pleated belted dress. Her phone was placed in front of the mirror. It lit up revealing a text. She first noted the time; 19:27, technically he wasn't late.

The message was from Vanessa, it read; "Have Fun!"

Part of her wished it had from another number. She knocked it off and didn't reply. She felt sort of weird talking to her best friend about this. Her feelings for the man in black. She told herself that Vanessa could think it poor taste? So soon after Pete? Or that Graham wasn't a good suitor after working with the man who tried to get one over on the Dingles? It was probably something to do with that... she told herself.

The real reason was that she didn't quite expect it. To feel this way about this man. 

She inhaled and placed down her lipstick, happy enough with her appearance after all the thing between her and the man in black was based on more than just looks. 

She thought back to the last first date she went on. With Pete. The man she used to love. He fell asleep. He didn't show.

Just like how Graham failed to show when they arranged to have coffee the other day...

But lately, he seemed different, willing her that he was not about to string her along. She was sure that this wasn't some sort of 'rich people game'. And, if she was honest with herself, another feud with Kim was the last thing she needed. But what if this was all just a laugh the Queen of House Tate was playing?

..................................................................

Graham sat at the wheel of the car. Staring at the time, 19:33. He was dressed in his best suit and waistcoat, white shirt and red tie. He favoured his traditional hairstyle, the slicked- back look. His appearance was as normal but, he felt a little out of sorts. Weird. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw the ghost of his brother, smiling. He hadn't allowed himself to think about him in years. He smiled back but the image of him faded. 

"This is new..." He heard a familiar voice say to him. 

He looked to his side and saw his only real friend sat beside him, a large grin plastered across his face as if Graham doing was the most hilarious thing in the world. 

"Off on a date?" Joe asked him. 

Graham grunted in response. 

"Hope she knows what she's getting in to?  
I mean... a night with you... Anything could happen?  
...Sorry. I didn't mean to bring up...." Joe trailed off, replacing his grin with a genuine smile;  
"Just don't take her to somewhere corny - you know you don't do well in that department."

Graham felt annoyed by his friend but found himself feeling fully relaxed for the first time in a year,

"So?  
Come on then...  
Tell me?  
…  
"Where are you taking the lucky lady?  
Let me guess…  
Paintball? No. You wouldn’t…  
Dancing? No? Well whatever, i'm sure you'll be fine."

"Actually - I…" he began to retort, but before he could finish the image of Joe also dispersed. 

He grunted and looked back through his mirror. More images of his past were there. People he'd loved. People he'd lost. People he'd hurt. A growing collection of transparent skeletons trapped in his closet. He exhaled and left them. Deciding to keep the past where it should be, and at least for tonight, he would live in the present. 

..................................................................  
There was a short, sharp knock on the door and it swung open. 

"Making a habit of this?"

"...What?"

"Being late. That's the third time now."

He gave a smile, "...I'm sorry."

"I see, and wow(!) No flowers either?"

He gave a surprised grunt at her, struggling to respond.

"...That's fine," Rhona let herself grin, "You're lucky I don't own more vases..."

He gave her another smile.

"...So come on, 007...where are you taking me?"  


..................................................................  
Rhona locked up and Graham stood, arm out ready for her to link it. She did so, feeling slightly odd about it. Not Paddy, Peirce nor, Pete offered her something like that, nor had the men that preceded them. 

They walked over to his car and she stopped, "Oh I thought we'd be taking my car?" 

Graham raised an eyebrow, "...I think it might be better if I drive?"

"Hey! - My driving is better than my cooking..."

"I'll have to take your word," He playfully bounced back. 

"Yeah, looks like you'll have to."

"Unless we...take your car the next time?"

Rhona half blushed, "And who says there's going to be a 'next time'?"

"Oh I like my chances...our best out of three chess game has turned into a best of 17. ....We might as well have played snooker."

"Snooker, eh? Is that why you wear all those suits?" Rhona smiled as she let Graham lead her to the passenger side. 

He opened the door and held it out or her to get in, gently closing it when she had done. He nodded his head in a gentlemanly manner. Before retreating over to his seat. It was obviously why people referred to him as a 'butler'. The role suited him well. Of course, she knew he wasn’t a butler. Some referred to him an 'action- man', she'd even started the joke that he was James Bond. He was a man of many things. The only one she knew for sure was that he was a man of mystery. That should have been enough of a red flag but, she found herself drawn closer to him. Plus, bit by bit he was revealing more about himself…

..................................................................  


Admittedly to both, the start of the drive was a little ...awkward. Both of them older, wiser and, more than aware of the fact they were going on a date. Meeting at the cafe was easy, well easier. It took the pressure off. Odd grunts and even odder smiles from the man in black made Rhona stand on edge, longing for the breezy atmosphere they'd had before getting into the car. 

Eventually, he spoke; "Care for some music?"

"...Sure," she painted on a smile. 'It shouldn't be this hard', she thought.

He turned the CD player on and 'The Year 3000' blasted out of the car stereo.

Rhona burst out laughing,  
"You didn't?!"

"...It's a great song!" he deadpanned.

"Yeah, if you're 11?  
...What else do you have on here?"

He nodded his head, signally her that she could switch over, the next track started and smooth jazz played. 

"Now, that's more your style!" She declared with confidence.

"...Is it?"

"Yeah. I can picture you listening to this while playing a game of chess."

"...Not really my thing."

"Really? I find that a shock. ...So what is?" She observed him.

“Wouldn’t you like to know...What’s yours?”

“I guess a little bit of everything. Except for the modern stuff – I’m too old for that. Usually, I let Leo in charge of the music. So, a lot of kid classics have been rocking in my car,” she started to ramble.

“Baby shark?”

“And the rest.”

“The wheels on the bus…”

“…go round and round,” she added.

“He…seems a great kid,” Graham remarked.

“He is although don’t let him fool you, there are times when he can be a right little ssh…” she trailed off,  
“Sorry – this isn’t what you signed up for, is it? A night talking about my kid?”

“I don’t mind.”

Rhona fought back to urge to ask if he’d ever thought about having kids. She knew that Joe was like a surrogate son to him. She settled back into silence, sensing it might be too sore a subject for them to scrutinize so soon.

The jittering of the piano keys, courtesy of the smooth jazz record, jingled between them. A nice fill to the odd awkward moments of silence. 

“Seriously?” She asked, with feigned, over- the- top shock. 

“Hmm?” he lightly grunted.

“Just that this isn’t your type of music? ...What is? I mean, you must have a type?” She observed a smile escape him. "Turn it over," he replied.

She did and 'My Life' belted out.

"Well well well," more humoured shock

"Hmm?" He looked over at her, again, puzzled.

"Never had you down as a Billy Joel fan.

"...I'm not. ...This was - "

"Joe's?" She finished for him. A part of her questioned whether this was the first and only C.D. he ever owned.

He grunted in agreement.

"Sort of. He made it for me. ....His way of a joke after someone called me a robot. He thought he should...introduce 'my kind' to ...human music." He smiled, fondly.

She immediately felt a twang of guilt for her former thought.

"...Bit of a cheek?"

"That was Joe…  
...I always skip track 14."

"Why? What's track 14?"

He grunted, taking a hand off the wheel,

"Be warned."

He turned the CD to aforementioned track and heavy metal quickly blasted out of the speakers in an untimely rhythm. Unacceptable screams had been placed in favour of actual lyrics. It would have been easy to liken to a bunch of banshees in the wilderness. Not what Rhona or Graham classed as music.

"Oh wow! You weren't kidding!" Rhona exclaimed, "What is this?"

Graham half shrugged, "Joe named it 'Kim' ..."

"Oh?" Rhona laughed a little and quickly stopped herself, "Sorry that's in bad taste, isn't it?"

"...Is it?"

"Well, she is your boss?"

He grunted. The noise of which was no longer bothering her. She'd become used to it through their recent interactions, like Paddy's snoring had, or Pete's...She shook her thoughts. This was stupid. Her mind was behaving as it had done 25 or so years ago. She told herself to get a grip.

Graham frowned,  
"Business associate. ...And if you wouldn't mind I would prefer if we kept her out of this."

Rhona boggled at him,  
"As in I don't tell her about tonight?"

"...As in...Don’t mention her tonight..."

She fought back the battle to quip that it was he who mentioned her name first. She settled on responding, "Oh." Though thoughts began to race through her mind again...

"You know if she and you have some sort of - "

"We don't."

"No? But if this is - "

"It's not!"

"Look, I -" she exhaled, half annoyed at bringing this up again, "I am far too old for games, Graham."

The sound of her saying his name stung.

"...I am also smart enough not to wage another war against Kim Tate." She finalised as she crossed her arms, more annoyed with herself than him. She sighed and he was tactful enough to shut off the song that was named after the blond elephant in the car. She thought of the best way to ask him to turn back...

A sweet symphony of string instruments filled the more than awkward silence that followed.

"...I meant what I said." He eventually spoke.

She turned her head to look at him. 

"...You're special,” he continued.

She wanted to believe it.

"Right?" her manner was sarcastic.

"You are! I...I don't want her to -"

Rhona spoke over him, "Her? It's always about -"

"-to ruin this. ...Ruin us."

His phone rang adding to the noise levels. The car becoming a sound booth for a sequel to the 'Kim song'. 

Graham trailed off and quickly reached for his mobile, grunting, the sound gave it away that he was furious when he glanced at the Caller I.D. Now was definitely not a good time. The distress of the quick manoeuvre caused the car to swerve and, based on instinct, Rhona made a grab for the wheel.

"I've got it!" he declared as he pushed her off and at the same time put his phone away. 

A large wooden fence faced them through the windscreen.

Rhona's busy life flashed before her eyes.

Graham's haunted past flashed before his.

He did the only thing he could and spun the wheel like it was part of a game show. Seconds later they were back on the road. He slowed and stopped the vehicle.

"Oh my god!"

"...Are you okay?" He asked, concerned and shaken.

She stared at him, "Do I look it?"

"I'm sorry -I - "

She swept her hands apart to cut him off and exited the car. 

He frowned at the ghosts, the ones he'd saw flash before him, he could still see them - through the mirror, sitting in the back. Waiting for him to fail, again.  
He shook them off and followed her out,  
"I didn't - "

Rhona faced him, her mood clearly written over her face, 

"That was her, wasn't it?"

He let his head fall to the floor.

She scoffed, "I knew it!"

"...She's been acting ...odd today."

"And you haven't?" She sighed, "What is this really? For you?"

"This? Us?" He snapped his head up and deeply stared at her.

She nodded. Part of her wondering why she was still here. He grunted. The sound of which was no longer endearing, it was annoying.

"You know what? It doesn't matter," she told him.

His facial expression was blank but in his eyes, you could see disappointment flicker. 

"Take me home."

"…Sorry?"

"Look - clearly this, us, is a bad idea.  
...I'd like to go home." She decided.

He briefly looked at the floor before meeting her eye line again,  
"I wouldn't have let us crash."

"This isn't about that."

"I... I didn't think she would call...I told her I was...busy."

She scoffed.

"I shouldn't have answered." He said in his last attempt.

"No. But you did. And you will. She'll always come first to you and I told you, I don't want to get involved in any of that."

He stepped forward but she stepped back, a message that she was adamant in going home.

He exhaled, struggling to keep his usual cool demeanour,  
"I thought we'd been through this? I don't want her. I want you."

"I'm not anyone's possession." She said with defiance and defence. Being with Pierce had taught her that.

He continued regardless,  
"...I like you...  
I find you easy to talk to -"

"So that's all I am?"

He grunted. 

"Look I'm not a therapist, Graham, if you need someone to talk to then - "

"Then what?" this time, his manner became defensive.

"How about Kim? Since the two of you are so close?"

He clenched his jaw. 

"...even if you won't admit it, she obviously has some sort of hold on you -" 

"Does she?"

"Yeah.  
...  
Well?"

"You want to know how much Kim means to me."

"Yeah. I do."

"Okay."

He reached into his pocket, where he'd placed back his mobile and threw it up gently catching it with ease in his other hand. He spun around and threw it with force. It landed somewhere in the middle of nowhere. 

"What are you doing?!"

He turned back around and stood like a James Bond waxwork.

"That...is how much she means to me."

"I didn’t mean..." she trailed off, “You didn't have to - "

"I know."

"That doesn't prove anything..."

Graham moved closer to her. This time she didn't back away.

"...I know she has something on you."

"She doesn't." He soothed.

"And why should I believe you?"

"Trust me," he said, his eyes shifting, not fully meeting hers.

"Whatever it is - "

"It's nothing."

"I wish that were true..."

"It is." His eyes met hers now.  
"She doesn't own me."

"No?"

"I have never felt this way before…you."

She observed him. Almost lost in his gaze.

“And which way is that, 007?"

He smiled at the nickname. Glad to see its return.

"...Steven...and Joe... you're the only one who knows...how much I…cared- care about them…So you must know that I care about you, too."

She blushed,  
"You barely know me."

"I know enough." He smiled.

He reached her at that moment and she felt herself fall against him. No more words were spoken. They gazed at each other for a moment before he kissed her, not in a pouncing, purely seductive manner like with Kim. This was tender. This was love.

..................................................................  


"Do you still want me to take you home?" He asked with concern, as the two of them leant with their backs on the side of the car, gazing into the nothingness. 

She pushed herself forward to stand upright. 

"Well I'm out now," she gave a smile, "might as well go for this fancy meal you’re taking me to."

She headed around the car to her side noting that he stayed, "You know, you still haven't told me where you're actually taking me?"

He turned to face her,  
"I didn't want to say anything but...we're here," he gave her a smile.

“What?  
…Here?  
…Really?"

He continued to smile. 

"So for our first date, you planned to take to...?"

He turned around and pointed into the near distance. She followed his gaze and shook her head in disbelief. 

"Now I know you're joking?"

"Makes the best burgers in Yorkshire." He deadpanned.

"...Does it?"

He answered with another smile.

She half-rolled her eyes, "If I had have known we were driving to a burger van I wouldn't have gotten so dressed up - which by the way, you still haven't complimented me on!"

"Haven't I?" He moved closer to her. 

She shook her head.

"My mistake...it's been a while."

"Next time...maybe give a bit warning, eh?"

"Next time?" he mused.

"Then I could have brought a coat? It gets pretty cold this time of year."

"Are you cold?"

She scoffed,  
"And I thought 007's were gents?  
You haven't even -"

Before she could finish he whipped off his jacket and gently placed it over her shoulders.

He grunted,  
"There."

He took a step back.

"How do I look?" she asked. 

..................................................................  
The wrappers of two of the ‘best burgers in Yorkshire’ dropped into the conveniently placed waste bin.  
“You have something…”

“Where”

“There”

“….Thanks.”

He smiled at her, "Maybe next time, I'll take you somewhere a little fancier?"

"Well, then I'm driving."

"…I'll look forward to that," He replied with another smile.

..................................................................  
They had strolled back to the car, hand in hand. 

“…How does tonight rate?”

She looked up at him.

“I’m sure you have plenty to compare it too…”

She frowned. 

“…I didn’t mean…  
I just meant…” he tried for the save.

“It’s fine,” she stated, letting him off the hook – though she didn’t know much about the man in black, she had a feeling swanning off on dates was not something he did regularly.  
“Tonight was...fine.”

“Fine?”

She sighed, "To be honest, 007…I thought you'd put a bit more effort in?”

He stopped and twisted her so they stood face to face.

“I did… you must have at least had fun?”

She looked up, this time past him and pulled a thoughtful expression. He grunted and she made eye contact with him,  
“I’m thinking….  
I’m trying to decide which was better; almost getting into a car crash or listening to Kim’s song?’

His facial expression was blank but you could see embarrassment flicker, “I am sorry about –“

“I know. It’s fine.” He gave him a genuine smile.

The walked on and stopped by the car. Rhona made her way over the passenger side, part of her expecting Graham to follow her, as he had done hours earlier. Instead, she noticed he was standing where she’d left him. He gave her a final smile.

"I wanted tonight to be better than fine…” he looked around the derelict road before settling his gaze back onto her, she was still wearing his coat which was obviously too big for her. He inhaled, Care for a dance?"

“What?” She scoffed,  
"Out here?"

He nodded with seriousness. 

"To what?" she queried.

"Joe did put one song on here I liked..."

He walked away and to the car, lowering in and turning it onto the last track, he dialled the volume up then the music started. He came out and positioned himself to lead in a slow dance. Rhona felt herself magnate towards him and falling into place. 

On that Friday evening, with an audience of ghosts stuck in the back seat of Graham’s car, the two off them danced over the darkened dales, spotlit by the moonlight, to 'The Way You Look Tonight'.

**Author's Note:**

> Obviously I don't own these characters, that privilege goes to the fabdab ED team.


End file.
